French probiotics find success in China

Canadian probiotics supplier, Lallemand, has responded to the growing wealth and interest in healthy foods in China by formalising an existing probiotics-based partnership with a Chinese nutrition company.

The deal will see probiotic products made in Lallemand’s Frenchoffered to the Chinese health market under a new joint venture, Biostime France.

Biostime distributes to about 60 sales offices selling to 10,000 pharmacies, 4000 specialty baby stores and 1,000 supermarkets in China. It will be responsible for marketing and distribution in China while Lallemand will focus on research, development and production.

Biostine has offered a product called ‘Biostime Probiotic Sachet for Children’ containing Lallemand probiotic ingredients since 2000. Sales for that product have increase 20 per cent year-on-year and have reached a level of about 100m sachets sold per year.

It is China’s number one probiotic product for children.

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Joint venture​

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Under the terms of the new deal, Biostime France will own the intellectual property, trademarks and formulations of ‘Biostime Probiotic Sachet for Children’ and other products that may appear on the Chiense market.

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“Based on the success of our children product, we plan to target the adult and senior health market with new products currently under registration,” said ​Fei Luo president of Biostime.

“The first product expected to hit the market in the coming months is a probiotic clinically documented to benefit patients suffering Irritable Bowel Syndrome, a functional gastro-intestinal disorder that affects up to 10 per cent of the Chinese urban population.”​

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Olivier Clech, President of Biostime France added: “Biostime and Lallemand were the first to introduce probiotics dietary supplements in China and have contributed to raise awareness for the probiotic concept thanks to an important educational program addressed to mothers in particular. We plan to leverage our position in China to introduce well documented probiotic products that target specific health conditions in adults.”​